Reaper

M:  A silly little TVshow that my sister referred me to about a boy that has to catch souls for the devil.  Pretty funny.  pretty crude at times.  Has what I think is perhaps my favorite portrayal of the devil ever, by Ray Wise, as a handsome, slick, funny, and but deceptively evil creep-o.  The series was canceled, so it ended abruptly and with no resolution.  Not the shows fault, but I have to dock it a bit for that because I didn't get my resolution.  2  1/2 stars.

Doc Martin

M: This is a 4 season British comedy about an elite surgeon who develops a phobia of blood, and moves to a small coastal town to become a general practice doctor. The characters are great, the scenery beautiful, and the story fun. We really enjoyed this, and recommend it. 3 1/2 stars

V: Oh, I loved Doc Martin, and I'm sad that our watching has come to an end. (And it only ended because the series did.) Doc Martin, the character, is true to his curmudgeonly self throughout. (Well-acted by Martin Clunes.) The rest of the characters are fun and endearing. Social problems, strange diseases and a tense romance - we loved our evening visits to the telly and that beautiful coastal village - we want to go to there. FYI - on Netflix it is unrated - it's probably about a TV-14 for occasional medical gore. - 3 1/2 stars

Harry Potter 7.2

M: A very good finish to a good movie series and a classic book series. Great special effects. The thing that impressed me the most was that I never thought, wow, what a special effect. It all felt real. It has been fun to watch the actors grow up, and they were all good, especially Harry. 3 1/2 stars

V: Hooray Harry Potter! Loved the books and the movies. This was a v ery satisfying final movie. I thought it was great. There was one little thing that I would have done differently - and that was the expression on Harry's face after it's all over and he's walking through Hogwarts, which has been devastated by the last battle. He has a slight grin - I don't think that was appropriate. Some of his friends died in that battle, not to mention what an incredible toll it must have taken on him through all those years being hunted by You-Know-Who. I think I would have preferred to see him collapse and weep a little bit. Yeah, he won. But it wasn't a soccer, er, football game. What has just happened was truly horrific and ahead lies rebuilding and healing. I think soberness is called for. But maybe that's just me, I like to wallow in tragedy sometimes. It's cathartic. Okay - BUT - otherwise, a really great movie. And the effects were seamless! I loved the whole, exciting Potter series. 3 1/2 stars

The Red Shoes

V: Only I watched this - a favorite of mine from childhood. NOT that this is a children's film, no, no, no. But I loved ballet, and this was about ballet, so I loved it. It's difficult for me to give it a very honest review because it is so tied to my nostalgia. I had seen it so often, knew the lines so well. What did I gain from it watching it 20 years later? Mostly an appreciation for Anton Walbrook, who played the obsessed owner of a ballet company, Lermontov. He was fantastic! The film is an artistic portrayal of the Hans Christian Anderson story, The Red Shoes. Particularly, the ballet that they produce of the same name, in the film, departs from reality to show what the ballerina, Victoria Page, is going through in her own struggle with her desires for both dance and love. It is a beautiful film, beautiful music, beautiful dance. Sad story. A classic. I love it. 4 stars

Love Actually (edited)

M: I am a sucker for things that take place in England, and this thing had an amazing cast, really amazing. We watched it edited, and it seemed to have lost a lot. It was pretty good, but not great. It didn't (and maybe couldn't) live up to its cast. 2 1/2 stars.

V: Interesting movie, with "love" looked at from many different angles. Yes, great cast. Touching, sad, romantic, sacrificing: love is a powerful and sometimes devastating motivator. I enjoyed it. 3 stars

Thor

M: I like it. It was fun. 3 stars.

V: Kind of fun, kind of silly. Natalie Portman's and Anthony Hopkins' talent is somewhat wasted here. Why does that girl love him so much? Is it because he is 10 feet tall, really strong, and carries a hammer? Yeah, well. And Asgard seems so out-in-space-y that it's weird. 2 stars

Iron Man 2

M: Not as good as the first one, not even close. But not a bad movie. 3 stars

V: I super duper loved the first Iron Man. But, I also really enjoyed this one. Always been a big fan of RDJr. Scarlett Johanssen didn't even bug me in this one. Gwyneth is great. The action was great. There were a couple of dumb lines, but I still really enjoyed it. 3 1/2 stars

Tron: Legacy

M: Ok, so in writing this review, I realize that I am accepting my fate as a big nerd, but I liked Tron. Don't get me wrong, it's not going to change your life, but I thought that it was pretty cool. It may have helped that it is the first Blue Ray movie on our new tv, and the graphics are pretty amazing (except the young computer faced clone, who just creeped me out). 3 stars

V: So, it was pretty cool to watch, graphics-wise and such. Story was meh. I liked seeing Prime Minister Blair as fabulous turn-coat. I give it 2 1/2 stars.

The Dilemma

M: I was in the mood for a light movie, so we got this. It had some funny parts, some not so funny parts. Some silly parts that could happen, some dumb parts that there is no reason would ever happen. An Ok show, that's all. 2 stars

V: Kind of a bummer. A bunch of badly-behaving people being dishonest and unfaithful. Only a little bit funny - actually the funniest person was Channing Tatum - who should be the villain here, right? So . . . all morals are turned on their head. Pretty much everyone loses. And the point to all of this? I guess, don't be selfish, do be honest. But it wasn't a well-earned point. 2 stars.

Soul Surfer

M: A really good, touching movie. Worth seeing. I hope it didn't scare the kids away from swimming in the ocean (one already said she didn't want to go in the ocean anymore). We explained that he movie is about overcoming your fears. Could almost go higher, but 3 stars.

V: I admit, I cried. The movie is not about the attack- they handled that very matter-of-factly. It is about recovery and moving on - overcoming trials. It was a sweet movie about a real girl who has a remarkable story. 3 stars.

Win Win

M: Watched this edited with our good friends. A good show, with lots of language edited out. Liked it a lot though. 3 stars.

V: And by "good friends" we mean brother and sister-in-law, too. I really love Paul Giamatti. He's one of my favorite actors. I also liked the kid, who was hilariously mellow, but also a bit shelled because of a bad family life. Paul's character and his wife, are people you can relate to, trying to do their best by their family and by this kid. I liked it. 3 stars

The Adjustment Bureau

M: I liked the idea, and like the movie. It wasn't great. It didn't really explain why the Adjustment Bureau did what it did, and it didn't really explain why it was ok, in the end, to do something different. All in all, I thought it was fairly enjoyable and worth seeing. 2 1/2 stars.

V: Interesting idea.  I like Matt Damon and Emily Blunt.  It was entertaining.  Didn't quite tie it all together, some weak explanations.  But, take it as an action movie, not a philosophical one. 2 1/2 stars

True Grit

M: So, I'm going to get myself in trouble, but I didn't think that this was as great a movie as everybody seemed to make it out to be. Yes, it is good looking, and yes, the girl was very-very good. But as far as the story goes, it wasn't that great. I thought there would be more to it than "let's get revenge," and "ok, we got revenge." Plus, I couldn't really understand everything that was said, which is a shame because the lines were the best part of this movie. Don't get me wrong, its a good movie. But, after all the best picture buzz it got, I expected more. 3 stars.

V: It is truly gritty.  The little girl is pretty good.  I think that Jeff Bridges was good, too - but I could not understand what he was saying 80% of the time.  So I guess I could re-watch it with subtitles, but I won't.  I, too, thought, "That was it?" at the end.  It was good, not great. 3 stars

The Illusionist

V: A beautiful, bittersweet film. It is worth seeing just for the animation. It is interesting, even though there is not much said, and what is said is in French or another language. It depicts quite naturally human interactions and desires - how we come and go and change each other. Old vs. New. It tugs at your throat a little. See it. 3 1/2 stars

M: Kind of a downer, but hands down the most beautiful animation I have ever seen. 3 stars.

RIO

V:  Cute show.  The kids enjoyed it.  I hope the others in the theater were entertained by our kids' commentary.  3 stars.


M: We went to the local discount theater to see this. I thought it was pretty fun, and funny in parts. It didn't blow me away, and I was a bit annoyed at times by all the innuendo and carnival stuff (while it wasn't that bad, its a kids show, so it bugged me). It kind of felt like a big advertisement for Rio the city. This was just ok for me. 2 1/2 stars

X-Men First Class

V: We actually saw this in the theater and I enjoyed it. I really liked James McAvoy already, so I thought he was a good pick. His (Xavier's) dominance was just kind of assumed though, and not really developed. So that could have used a little help. The Magnito character was interesting - a pretty big swing between likeable and super-evil though. You might not want to be seeing how many degrees away from Kevin Bacon you are after seeing this - just stay away. So, it's a comic book movie, and was entertaining as such. It's interesting thinking about the difference between X and Magnito, their backgrounds, their philosophies and their choices. We were excited to see our "About a Boy" boy all grown up. It was fun. 3 stars.

M: A rare full cost, in the theater experience (for my friends b-day). It probably helped to see this in the theater, since the special effects give it a boost. I thought there were a lot of characters with very little depth, and a lot of cheesy lines. Xavier, Magnito, and the blue girl were the only really compelling characters. But it was pretty good. 3 stars

How do You Know

M: I really kind of enjoyed this silly romantic comedy. Reece Witherspoon and Paul Rudd were really cute, and Paul Rudd was hilarious. Perhaps not the most romantic couple in the world, but very cute and fun. Owen Wilson was also very funny. I generally liked the movie quite a bit. I considered going with a 3 1/2, but I couldn't quite go that high. Worth seeing. 3 stars.

V:  This had a lot of original humor.  The cast was great.  Loved Tony Shaloub's short but sweet scene. Paul Rudd is funny, funny.  Loved the very short scene of him BBQing.  It was cute.  3 stars.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

M: We watched this movie the day Elizabeth Taylor died. She was pretty, but I didn't care for the movie very much. 2 1/2 stars

V: I actually picked this movie up from the library, then went home and found out that Elizabeth Taylor had passed away.  Am I in tune with the universe, or what?  It isn't a fun, happy movie to watch.  But my English major background helped me to appreciate the development of the background story, the relationships between the characters, who, I thought, were realistically portrayed with their myriad (and I do mean myriad) problems.  The whole movie takes place in one day.  This is based on Tennessee Williams' play, and you can tell this was written first for the stage.  It's more literary, less spectacle.  The best part was Burl Ives as Big Daddy!  I'd only known him as the narrator of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  He was a terrific actor! 31/2 stars

Heaven Can Wait

M: A cheesy old movie, but kind of heart warming. 3 stars

V: I fell asleep, its what I do. N/A  (M wrote this review for me, V.  I was too tired.)

Great Expectations

V: We have unwittingly found ourselves on a Dickens kick. This is the Masterpiece Theater version, with Ione Gruffudd (Amazing Grace) and Justine Waddell (Wives & Daughters.) I thought it was pretty good, but not particularly compelling. If Pip fell into really foolish behavior, it wasn't developed well, except mostly to mention that some debtors were out for him. I didn't catch why he'd love (who he loved) except that, again, it was mentioned that he did. So, I think they could have done a better job showing rather than telling. Miss Havasham was aptly creepy. Could they have made the people look worse on the cover of the DVD? Pip looks like a different person! All in all, it was alright. (Watch for The Emperor.) 2 1/2 stars

M: I agree. A good looking show, but not my favorite. 2 1/2 stars

Tess of the D'ubervilles

V: Wow, what a downer!! I maintain that I hate Thomas Hardy. Didn't like him in High School and still don't like him. He's a cynic, a fatalist and a bad, bad man. His poor characters try and try and try and just keep getting knocked down by bad timing and unlucky circumstances. This is a tragically tragic tragedy. Just, please don't watch this - it will depress you. That having been said, I do think I have to rate this movie based on more than just the story. It was well acted, and it did affect me emotionally. I give it 2 1/2 stars.

M: Yea, its a downer. Tragedies are. But, my problem with this story is that in a tragedy, the main character should have a fatal flaw. Like V said, here, there was no flaw, Tess just didn't have the stars aligned for her I guess. It was her "fate" for her life to fall completely apart. It was mean spirited and not very enjoyable. 2 1/2 stars.

Social Network

M: Winner of the golden globe, Social Network is obviously a good movie. But the "best," well, not to me. Although it is well made, and makes you think about whether or not you would want to be the inventor of something like facebook, and therefore one of the richest and most influential people in the world (I wouldn't) it also had some things that bugged me. It was intriguing and sad to see what success did to friendships and trust. It was also sad to see some of the unnecessary drug and promiscuity they threw into this movie. I hope that, like much of the movie, this stuff was not true, and only invented by the writer to soup up what would have already been a really interesting movie. Maybe I am naive. And that's another thing, I don't like movies too much that are "based on a true story." From my understanding, the Social Network is very loosely based on a true story. I don't like it when something is presented as a truth, but I am not sure what is true and what is false. For example, did you know that Mark Zuckerberg has had the same girlfriend since before he invented facebook? The movie really did him a disservice. I think I will have to spend some time on Wikipedia now so I have a better idea of the true story (assuming Wikipedia is accurate). This is the year that if you mention facebook, you will win an award. Although this movie is pretty good, it shouldn't win the Oscar. 3 stars.

V:  First off, I thought Jesse Eisenberg did a fantastic job.  I wouldn't be surprised if he got an Oscar.  Other than that, I wasn't super impressed with the movie.  It focused a lot on sex and drugs, which while obviously offensive, just wasn't the point.  The development of facebook and the interactions between the people involved in the lawsuit was the interesting stuff.  It was a pretty good movie.  I'll never want to watch it again, though.  I found the music loud and annoying, and some references too obvious. 3 stars

Flipped

M: What a cute, fun story. In my opinion, a fantastic must-see PG movie. Madeline Carroll was so good. Just a sweet, innocent story of a childhood romance, told in a distinct and personal way. I really liked it. 3 1/2 stars

V:  This is a gentle story of kids discovering love.  It is told in he said/she said fashion, which is fun, but for me grew a little repetitive - especially since they were retelling the same situation.  But it's a small complaint.  It is a good little movie. 3 stars

Ladyhawke

V: If you watch this in 2011, you will be bugged by the synthesizer music.  It really doesn't fit with the whole knights in armor thing.  Maybe this is how A Knight's Tale will seem in a few years - but at least they punked up their hair and accepted the fact that they were being anachronistic.  Anyway, the story is alright.  The knight is out for revenge.  Matthew Broderick is his old quirky self.  Michelle Pfeiffer is gorgeous, as always. This movie is okay. 2 1/2 stars

M: Pretty funny, sometimes unintentionally so, movie. It takes place in mid-evil times, but has a spunky synthesizer soundtrack. You've got to love the 80s. And, on a related note, it will help you with this movie if you love the 80s. 2 stars

The Other Guys

M: So, this is PG-13, while the King's Speech is R. I don't get it. This was way more offensive. I can just envision the guys writing this, one turning to the other to say, you think that was ridiculous, listen to this. And so the movie goes, each moment more ludicrous than the last. A few funny parts, mostly involving Will Ferrell, but mostly just inane and insulting to all things normal. 2 stars

V: Really quite dumb with a few accidentally funny things and a few actually funny things.  We mostly laughed in disbelief at how they could have decided that their characters would do and say such things.  And sometimes, I think the actors were just ad-libbing.  I thought it was funny how the super tough guys jumped off a tall building and then (of course) landed (splatted) on the sidewalk below.  Seriously, that was kind of funny.  Do you want to see it now? 1 1/2 stars

The King's Speech

M: Colin Firth is officially amazing. Loved it. It felt real. I was transported, and it felt effortless. The best performance I have seen all year. Geoffrey Rush was also fantastic. No explosions, no schemes, but a fantastic show with outstanding acting. A must see. 4 stars

V: What a wonderful film! Great acting, great filming, great music. I would recommend this to anyone. It is rated R, as you've probably heard, because they say the f-word a few times. But it's all in good fun. No really, it's pretty funny. It's not meant to be offensive. Loved it. 4 stars

Harry Potter 7.1

M: I am going to say that this may be the least good of the Harry Potters to date, at least in my book. That is not a huge knock, because it has been a great series, but this just didn't have the story line to make it a great movie. It is a good half-a-movie. Very good special effects that are worth seeing. And some good acting by our now grown friends. 2 1/2 stars

V: I am a huge fan of the books and the series. I really liked this movie. It had great suspense. It caught the frustrating dreariness of the first half of the 7th book which takes place largely in the forest or some other wilderness, hiding and waiting and wondering what to do. The scene where Harry tries to bring a little cheer with some music and dancing was great. It's not the best one yet, but it was nicely done. I really enjoyed it. I think it was necessary to break the 7th into 2 movies, it will not rob the conclusion by rushing through it. Because of this movie (with all its waiting and hiding and agonizing) - the conclusion will be more satisfying. 3 stars

Mansfield Park

M: This is the sassy Jane Austin, with lots of loose moral behavior going on. An all-around good show. I like the heroine. I like the actor (Eli Stone guy) who played the hero, but I didn't really care for his part too much. I never really dig a show that has one of its main love interests pine for someone else the entire show only to quickly change their mind at the end. Not as romantic I guess. Plus, they didn't become filthy rich in the end, what's up with that Jane? 3 stars

V: This is the third time I've seen this. I think it is stylistically done. I like it. It is a little harsher than other Austen's, but it goes beyond the book, as the opening credits reveal. They add in some stuff from letters and journals (and maybe a few other things.) I like it. I think the hero, Edmund (aka Eli Stone) did actually love Fanny the whole time. He was caught up in social expectations and, yeah, a really pretty and seemingly charming woman. Anyway, that's what I think. 3 stars

Mega Mind

V: I kept getting a strong Colbert vibe from Megamind, though I knew it was Will Ferrell. Either way, I really liked that character. The heroine was also really likable. I really thought this was funny. I thought the bad guy went really, really bad for not a really good reason. I just didn't see his motive, nor thought he was a jerk to begin with. But, other than that little thing - I thought the movie was great! 3 1/2 stars

M: I couldn't help but compare this movie to Despicable me, which came out about the same time and is basically the same movie. Both good movies. I liked this more. 3 stars

Tangled

V: I went in with high expectations, and I really enjoyed it. Rapunzel's character is natural and funny. Flynt is very fun. Interesting way they dealt with Dame Gothel, who had no powers but was just vain and selfish. She had a bit of an Ursula vibe, with her over-the-top broadway style. Her eyes were a little too huge, it was distracting. It was a very fun, very cute movie. 3 1/2 stars

M: I really loved it. Beautifully made. Great characters, and interesting take on a classic. A definite must see. 3 1/2 stars

Daniel Deronda

M: Enjoyable BBC version of a George Elliot classic. Different from many BBC romances, because the female love interests are so very flawed, but enjoyable still. I give it 3 stars.

V: I was excited to watch it at night. These BBC miniseries are a little addicting. I found Deronda's character intriguing - though there wasn't much Deronda in "Deronda" at first. Ultimately, M & I were happy with how it was resolved - though I wasn't totally convinced. A little too Dickensian, intricately interwoven fates and all, for my liking, but still pretty enjoyable. 2 1/2 stars.

Easy A

M: Our local movie critic, with whom we often agree, raved about Easy A. So, I brought it home. We invited family to watch it with us -- I am glad they didn't. When it was done, I apologized to V. Easy A is a play on the the novel The Scarlet Letter. Olive, played by Emma Stone, accidentally starts a rumor that she lost her virginity. The rumor grows and grows, and her reputation tumbles. Although at first, Olive embraces and enjoys her new-found notoriety, she eventually learns an important lesson (I am not sure what that lesson was). Emma Stone did a good job, she almost makes you like her very unlikable character. But, in the end, the movie is just too dirty to enjoy. It is also a bit hypocritical, which bugged me. Case in point, the "bad guys" in the movie are all overzealous and hypocritical religious folks. Fine, nobody likes a religious hypocrite. But, in labeling every character with religious belief as a bigoted "Jesus freak," this movie, at least to me, revealed its own ugly bigoted and hypocritical nature. I just didn't really care for it. 1 1/2 stars

V: Uggh. What a bummer. It just left us feeling dirty and disappointed. Emma Stone was a good actress and her parents were interesting and funny, played by a couple of my favorites: Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson. But it was too - eeeaghh. There was no good reason the main character would continue to act the way she did - she was just inviting the judgment she so readily condemned. Dumb. Can't recommend it. 1 star

Cranford

M: This BBC mini-series is comprised of five one hour episodes. It tells the story of the inhabitants of the town of Cranford, England. I am a bit torn. This is not a romantic or exciting movie. It has enjoyable characters which are well acted, but lacks a driving storyline to keep you interested. 2 1/2 stars.

V: I give this 3 stars.

My Fair Lady

M: Here is another movie that V introduced me to. A classic with great music and great characters. The dialogue is witty and fun. Audra Hepburn is fantastic, although it is a bit weird at time with the voice-over singing. Also, it seems to me that Professor Higgins, although enjoyably portrayed by Rex Harrison, should probably sing, instead of just talk. But, all in all, a great movie worth seeing. 3 1/2 stars

V:  I love this movie!!  I loved watching it as a kid, and I love it much more now that I understand the irony.  Cool costumes, wonderful music.  Rex Harrison is so great. This got Best Picture and Best Actor at the Oscars that year.  The dubbing in of Marnie Nixon's wonderful voice was a little rough sometimes.  But still . . . 4 stars.

Gone with the Wind

M: Believe it or not, I had never seen this movie. V finally got me to watch it. Great movie, beautifully acted. Nearly flawless. 4 stars

V:  It's a classic.  Vivienne Leigh is terrific.  I really liked Clark Gable, too.  Great acting, interesting characters.  I even enjoyed watching all the "making of" and actor biographies attached to the DVD.  4 stars.